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Construction · head to head

Autodesk Revit vs On-Screen Takeoff

Autodesk Revit logo

Autodesk Revit

Construction

BIM software for architects and engineers

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
On-Screen Takeoff logo

On-Screen Takeoff

Construction

Digital quantity takeoff from drawings, now subscription only and bundled rather than sold alone

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Autodesk Revit exact subscription rates not shown on product page; pricing template contains placeholder {{PRICE}} variable; On-Screen Takeoff perpetual licensing is no longer offered on current releases, so long-standing users who paid once now face a recurring annual cost they never budgeted, and staying on an old version means no support for newer PDF formats
  • They diverge on capability: Autodesk Revit covers BIM modeling, On-Screen Takeoff covers Drawing takeoff.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Autodesk Revit and On-Screen Takeoff actually diverge.

Attributes where Autodesk Revit and On-Screen Takeoff differ
AttributeAutodesk RevitOn-Screen Takeoff
Starting price$29/monthOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Founded1982Unknown

Identical on both: free tier (No), platforms (Windows), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Construction).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Autodesk Revit

  • BIM modeling
  • Parametric components
  • Collaboration
  • Documentation
  • Rendering
  • Structural analysis
  • MEP design
  • Cloud worksharing

Only in On-Screen Takeoff

  • Drawing takeoff
  • Revision overlay
  • Condition libraries
  • Automatic scaling
  • Bid zones and phases
  • Quick Bid handoff
  • Excel export

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Autodesk Revit

  • 3D architectural design and BIM (Building Information Modeling) documentationnot On-Screen Takeoff
  • Structural and MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing) engineering coordinationnot On-Screen Takeoff
  • Construction scheduling and coordination workflows for project teamsnot On-Screen Takeoff
  • AI-powered Autodesk Assistant for model queries and design analysisnot On-Screen Takeoff
  • Carbon analysis and sustainability assessment with Forma integrationnot On-Screen Takeoff

On-Screen Takeoff

  • A drywall contractor measuring wall area and openings across a 300 sheet set where manual takeoff would take a weeknot Autodesk Revit
  • An estimator who receives a late addendum and needs to know which rooms changed rather than re-measuring the whole floornot Autodesk Revit
  • A flooring subcontractor maintaining reusable conditions with waste factors so quantities and material orders stay consistent between estimatorsnot Autodesk Revit
  • A trade contractor that wants takeoff quantities split by phase so progress billing matches the way work is actually releasednot Autodesk Revit

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Autodesk Revit

  • Exact subscription rates not shown on product page; pricing template contains placeholder {{PRICE}} variable
  • Multiple pricing options (monthly, annual, 3-year term) available but actual costs require navigation to separate pricing flow

On-Screen Takeoff

  • Perpetual licensing is no longer offered on current releases, so long-standing users who paid once now face a recurring annual cost they never budgeted, and staying on an old version means no support for newer PDF formats
  • ConstructConnect does not publish a price, and the product is increasingly sold inside a bundle with lead data and estimating, so buyers who want takeoff alone often find the quote priced around a package they do not need
  • It is Windows desktop only, with no macOS version and no meaningful browser or tablet workflow, which rules it out for firms standardised on Apple hardware
  • The interface has changed little in years and estimators coming from browser-based tools find the condition setup and layer management slow to learn, so onboarding a new estimator takes longer than the software cost would suggest
  • ConstructConnect sells lead data, takeoff and estimating as a portfolio and has consolidated several acquired products, so a buyer committing to On-Screen Takeoff should ask directly where it sits against the newer cloud takeoff products in the same portfolio

Pricing, plan by plan

Autodesk Revit

$29/month
  • Revit$2545/month
    • Full BIM capabilities
    • Collaboration tools
  • AEC Collection$2975/month
    • Revit + AutoCAD + Civil 3D + more

On-Screen Takeoff

On request
  • On-Screen Takeoff$undefined/year
    • Annual subscription per seat on version 4 and later
    • Sold increasingly as part of a ConstructConnect takeoff and estimating bundle
    • Perpetual licensing not offered on current releases

Which should you pick?

Choose Autodesk Revit if

  • You need bim modeling.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want parametric components.
Autodesk Revit review

Choose On-Screen Takeoff if

  • You need drawing takeoff.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want revision overlay.
On-Screen Takeoff review

Questions people ask

Is Autodesk Revit or On-Screen Takeoff better?
Neither clearly leads. Autodesk Revit starts at $29/month and On-Screen Takeoff at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Autodesk Revit or On-Screen Takeoff?
Autodesk Revit starts at $29/month and On-Screen Takeoff at On request.
Does Autodesk Revit or On-Screen Takeoff run on more platforms?
Both run on Windows, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is Autodesk Revit best used for?
Autodesk Revit is most often used for 3d architectural design and bim (building information modeling) documentation, structural and mep (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) engineering coordination, construction scheduling and coordination workflows for project teams, ai-powered autodesk assistant for model queries and design analysis. Of those, 3d architectural design and bim (building information modeling) documentation and structural and mep (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) engineering coordination are not what On-Screen Takeoff is typically brought in for.
What can Autodesk Revit do that On-Screen Takeoff cannot?
Autodesk Revit covers BIM modeling, Parametric components, Collaboration, Documentation. On-Screen Takeoff covers Drawing takeoff, Revision overlay, Condition libraries, Automatic scaling.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Autodesk Revit: How much does Autodesk Revit cost per month?

Autodesk Revit is available on a monthly subscription, with a 15-day return policy for trial conversions. Specific rates are not published on the product page.

Source
On-Screen Takeoff: Can I still buy a perpetual licence?

No. Current releases are annual subscription. Older perpetual licences continue to run but do not receive updates.

Autodesk Revit: What discount does Autodesk offer for annual Revit subscriptions?

Revit annual subscriptions save 33% compared to monthly pricing. Specific price points are not displayed on the homepage.

Source
On-Screen Takeoff: Is it sold separately from Quick Bid?

It can be, but ConstructConnect increasingly quotes it as part of a takeoff and estimating package. Ask explicitly for standalone pricing if that is what you want.

Autodesk Revit: Can I install Revit on multiple computers?

Revit subscriptions allow installation on up to 3 computers, but only one named user can sign in at a time. Multi-seat team pricing is not detailed on the site.

Source
On-Screen Takeoff: Does it run on a Mac?

Not natively. It is a Windows application and Mac users run it under virtualisation, which is unsupported in practice for large drawing sets.

On-Screen Takeoff: Will it read a scanned drawing?

Yes, but measurement accuracy on a scanned raster set depends entirely on the scan quality and on setting scale from a verified dimension.

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